[FEATURED IN WATTPAD INDIA PROFILE]
❝Pioneering the art of constructing love, my Kanmani.❞
Xavier teased her skin, slowly caressing her cheeks and her lips trembled.
❝You don't dare!❞
And he kissed her.
------
When he had compromised his dreams and...
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"Not today, please, not today!"
Krithika tore through her files, muttering a desperate "Please..." as she teetered on the edge of breaking down.
Late to work. The one damn day she couldn't afford to be. It was completely unlike her.
But that morning, her body had needed more than just the usual rinse under the shower. While washing up, she'd touched herself in a way she wasn't accustomed to, and her mind wandered back to that one reckless night, haunted by those stolen moments that invaded every dream she'd had since.
Who knew that a single kiss, just one, could ignite something this overwhelming? A pair of soft lips and she was a goner. She'd never even thought about pleasuring herself but after that kiss? It had become her undoing. Lost in her own mind, in a haze of want she barely recognized, time had slipped right by her. And by the time she snapped back to reality, it was already too damn late.
Idiot!
"I shouldn't have..." she mumbled, shoving papers around furiously, practically shaking with frustration.
When she finally rushed to the office, she realized today was the worst possible day for her lapse. She had a freaking early morning meeting with Xavier Joseph himself—the devil incarnate.
This one-on-one thing was Satya's idea. She scheduled annual sit-downs with Xavier, probably thinking it was good for her team to get to know the other CEO, even if he was a royal pain in the ass. Sure, it helped people to have a direct line to him, to pitch ideas or ask questions. Despite his brutal reputation, people respected him for his relentless work ethic and sheer knowledge. But he was tough, and she dreaded the idea of facing that infamous temper alone.
"Finally!" She nearly shouted as she found the file she'd spent weeks putting together, her entire life practically crammed into those pages. With shaky hands, she stuffed everything into a folder and bolted out of her office. People wished her luck on her way out as if she were heading to an execution. And maybe she was. Her first one-on-one with Xavier L. Joseph felt like a test of her patience, strength, and ability not to scream at him.
Walking toward his cabin, she noticed that Xavier's glass walls were set to privacy mode. The blurred glass gave her a sliver of comfort; at least she wouldn't have to feel his eyes boring into her as she approached. She straightened her kurta and took a long, steadying breath.
You're five minutes late. He'll probably chew you out, but he's not going to kill you.
She knocked on the door, pulse hammering.
"Come in." That deep, cold voice shot right through her.
The voice of a pissed-off demon boss.
She tried to steel herself and stepped inside his office—his kingdom. Every inch of the room screamed his name, the heart of his empire built from his blood and sweat over five long years.
He was focused on a file, and if she weren't so damn nervous, she might've let herself appreciate the sight. He wore a light gray shirt, tailored to perfection, with a black waistcoat hugging his frame. His coat was tossed somewhere, leaving his sleeves rolled up, taut against his forearms. The kind of sight that could make a girl weak.
Her mouth felt dry, and she found herself licking her lips. As her gaze drifted to his face, she couldn't help but notice how ruggedly masculine his features were, sharp and intense.
Focus, idiot!
She cleared her throat. "Good morning, sir."
"You're late." He didn't look up from the pages, but the cold bite in his voice made her stomach drop.
"Sir, I... I'm sorry," she stammered, clutching the file in her arms. "I don't want to make excuses, but... it won't happen again."
She started to step forward, but he raised a hand, stopping her dead in her tracks.
"Sir..." Her voice came out as a plea.
"Get out."
Her eyes stung. "Please, sir..."
She'd prepared so damn hard for this meeting, pushing herself to the brink to impress him. Every word, every page, every idea in that file was her work. She'd thought maybe—just maybe—this meeting would be a chance to show him she could be something more, someone worth his time.
And now he was throwing her out. Not even giving her five minutes.
"Sir?" Her lips trembled.
Even though it hadn't interested her initially, Xavier had the knowledge she'd been hungry for, the insights she'd worked so hard to understand. She had worked every day and even night when she had studied in her room, only for this one meeting, every page inside her file was her work, her ideas. She had prepared everything to perfection, exactly the way he expected his employees to work.
And yet, he wanted to throw her out, without giving a single chance.
"You heard me the first time," he said, flipping to another page as if she didn't even exist.
Her whole body felt hot with his slandering remark, her eyes started to blur slightly as anger consumed her.
Don't cry!
Blinking rapidly, she forced herself to speak. "May I at least know why?"
His cold, piercing gaze met her fiery one.
Don't fucking cry in front of him!
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Do tell me what you feel about this and the upcoming chapters, always open to positive criticism.
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